wth
Premium
join:2002-02-20
Iowa City, IA
 ·Mediacom
| [Cable TV] Mediacom - BTN The Latest "News"
"Mediacom would prefer to target the network on its Family Cable plans in Iowa City and Cedar Rapids areas and make the network available on its digital tier for the remaining Iowa outlets, according to Ed Pardini, Mediacom's senior vice president for its North Central Region."
"They're demanding to be carried on basic everywhere," Pardini said.
»www.gazetteonline.com/apps/pbcs.···8/sports |
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Scott72
join:2008-01-02
Mcgregor, IA | How is this fair? Why should some of us in smaller markets have to upgrade to digital to get it? |
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dornitram
join:2004-12-02
Iowa City, IA
| I would gladly pay for it, I just want to have the channel anyway the provide it. I already pay for the sports pack, so it wouldn't matter to me. But since I'm in Iowa City I would theoretically get it for free anyway. I just wish Mediacom and BTN would both put up and shut up. |
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wth
Premium
join:2002-02-20
Iowa City, IA
·Mediacom
| reply to wth
Another article in the Gazette today.
"BTN impasse enhances radio marketing"
"The Big Ten Network's impact on attendance at men's basketball games has not been positive. Iowa averaged 9,325 fans in 10 non-conference home dates, down from an average of 10,928. Even by throwing out the in-state competition (Iowa State and Northern Iowa home dates in 2006-07 and a Drake home date in 2007-08), attendance is down by an average of 1,098 fans through the non-conference season.
Late starts are one possible factor in the attendance slide. Six non-conference home dates have 8 p.m. starts, and all were televised by the Big Ten Network.
"The 8 o'clock starts are difficult for our fans," Iowa Athletics Director Gary Barta said. "We've had a few over the years; we always have a couple. But this year we have nine, and that's far too many. Our goal is to get that much, much lower in the future, and that's something we've expressed to the Big Ten."
»www.gazetteonline.com/apps/pbcs.···524/1056 |
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marigolds
Gainfully employed, finally
Premium,MVM
join:2002-05-13
Saint Louis, MO
| reply to wth
I'm still very fed up with BTN as a wrestling fan.
They supposedly threw wrestling fans a bone and scheduled 10 live duals plus the Midlands.
»www.bigtennetwork.com/corporate/PR120507.asp
The result so far:
12/02/07 Iowa State vs Minnesota Live
12/30/07 Midlands consolation finals Pulled (originally scheduled delayed)
12/30/07 Midlands finals Live
01/06/08 Oklahoma State vs Iowa Pulled
And coming up:
01/18/08 Iowa vs Ohio State Delayed
And why? because they are airing "The Big Ten's Greatest Games - Basketball: 1/31/91 - Ohio State at Michigan State" in that time slot now, which they are airing two more times that same day.)
Actually, the real reason is that they also promised to carry the Ohio State vs. Michigan State hockey game, but apparently failed to check the schedules and missed that the hockey game starts an hour after the dual meet starts.
But this one is even more inexplicable:
01/25/08 Wisconsin at Indiana Delayed
To air "The Big Ten's Greatest Games - Basketball: 1/14/04 - Illinois at Northwestern". No overlapping live games from any other sport. No apparent reason at all.
I suspect we will see more of the same in February. I can hardly wait for the March schedule to come out and find out that coverage of the Big Ten championships will be tape delayed too.
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wth
Premium
join:2002-02-20
Iowa City, IA
·Mediacom
| reply to wth
Another article in this series
Thursdays article: »www.gazetteonline.com/apps/pbcs.···699/1056
Mondays article: »www.gazetteonline.com/apps/pbcs.···699/1056 |
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burner50
Pinlifter
Premium,VIP
join:2002-06-05
On the lead | reply to Scott72
because it is a new specialized sports channel as such it belongs on the sports tier... if you want it then you have to pay for it, if your neighbor doesnt want it he doesnt have to pay for it. |
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garn91
join:2005-01-15
Ankeny, IA | no one would be complaining about the start times if the team was winning |
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Scott72
join:2008-01-02
Mcgregor, IA
| reply to burner50
said by burner50  :because it is a new specialized sports channel as such it belongs on the sports tier... if you want it then you have to pay for it, if your neighbor doesnt want it he doesnt have to pay for it. I understand that and have no problem with it as long as they're consistent throughout the markets. Why put it on family cable in a large market and put it on a tier in another market? One market gets it without an upgrade while the other has to upgrade? That's the issue I have if that's what they're considering doing. |
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burner50
Pinlifter
Premium,VIP
join:2002-06-05
On the lead | maybe its not a larger market thing, its more of a hawkeye counry thing... IC and CR are close to the university.
I still dont like it... put it on digital, period. |
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lotusracer
Premium
join:1999-11-26
Moline, IL
| reply to burner50
said by burner50 :because it is a new specialized sports channel as such it belongs on the sports tier... if you want it then you have to pay for it, if your neighbor doesn't want it he doesnt have to pay for it. I for one could care less about any sports channel... don't want additional sports channels added and driving my rates up even farther. |
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tsduke
Premium
join:2006-03-04
Waterloo, IA
·Mediacom
| reply to wth
I know some of you don't want BTN, but for those sports and hawk fans that do I'll say this. BTN HD has the best quality PQ I've seen for sports. Even better than ESPNHD which is usually pretty good.
To me it's worth the money because KGAN who used to have most Hawk broadcasts has one of the worst PQ. None of the KGAN-ESPN+ games would have been in HD either. |
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Scott72
join:2008-01-02
Mcgregor, IA
| said by tsduke :I know some of you don't want BTN, but for those sports and hawk fans that do I'll say this. BTN HD has the best quality PQ I've seen for sports. Even better than ESPNHD which is usually pretty good. To me it's worth the money because KGAN who used to have most Hawk broadcasts has one of the worst PQ. None of the KGAN-ESPN+ games would have been in HD either. I agree. Huge sports fan here and it's mostly what I watch. I'd gladly pay for it. |
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wth
Premium
join:2002-02-20
Iowa City, IA
·Mediacom
| reply to wth
Todays (Friday) article: »www.gazetteonline.com/apps/pbcs.···227/1056
Also: »www.gazetteonline.com/apps/pbcs.···526/1056 |
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burner50
Pinlifter
Premium,VIP
join:2002-06-05
On the lead | reply to lotusracer
ummm... so just putting it on digital would affect you how?
feel free to read posts before replying to them |
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dornitram
join:2004-12-02
Iowa City, IA | So will this article have any impact on the BTN and cable networks?
»www.broadcastingcable.com/articl···190.html |
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marigolds
Gainfully employed, finally
Premium,MVM
join:2002-05-13
Saint Louis, MO | Zero effect.
Mediacom is not subject to the Adelphia buyout agreement since they were not a party to the buyout. |
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Scott72
join:2008-01-02
Mcgregor, IA
| said by marigolds :Zero effect. Mediacom is not subject to the Adelphia buyout agreement since they were not a party to the buyout. I disagree. I think this sets a precendent and a blueprint to future lawsuits. I'm sure the BTN and the Big Ten schools see this as a possible way of solving their dilemma. You could easily say Mediacom is discriminating against the BTN by demanding them to be placed on a tier as well when other RSN's are already on expanded basic. We'll see what happens. |
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dornitram
join:2004-12-02
Iowa City, IA
| That's what I thought Scott.
Although I do trust Marigolds opinion as you've been very knowledgeable about a lot of stuff on this board. I just hope that we get it sometime before next football season. I've given up hope on receiving it for basketball season. |
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marigolds
Gainfully employed, finally
Premium,MVM
join:2002-05-13
Saint Louis, MO
| reply to Scott72
said by Scott72 :said by marigolds :Zero effect. Mediacom is not subject to the Adelphia buyout agreement since they were not a party to the buyout. I disagree. I think this sets a precendent and a blueprint to future lawsuits. I'm sure the BTN and the Big Ten schools see this as a possible way of solving their dilemma. You could easily say Mediacom is discriminating against the BTN by demanding them to be placed on a tier as well when other RSN's are already on expanded basic. We'll see what happens. Mediacom is allowed to discriminate though under FCC rules. The specific terms of the Adelphia buyout agreement forbade Time Warner (and Comcast) from discriminating against unaffiliated RSNs in favor of the RSNs owned by Time Warner (and Comcast). As well, the third-party arbitration is only available because of a specific clause in the agreement. I really do not see such a rule being applied to Mediacom until it cracks the top four cable companies, and even then only after the 70/70 threshold kicks in.
And then there is the second issue... the only channel that might reach the level of a Mediacom owned RSN is Mediacom Connections. But since Mediacom lost all their Big Ten carriage rights on Mediacom Connections when the BTN was created, it is unlikely (based on the criteria used in this case) that Mediacom Connections would be declared an RSN.
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